Page 180 of Own It

Despite the fact that I wanted to tell Tarin’s lying ass to kick rocks, I had a job I wanted to maintain, and I could already peep game on what Tarin was trying to do. My paycheck paid for my life and my daughter’s life, so I wasn’t about to let my beefs over Josias get in the way of that.

I especially needed my checks now that I’d stopped fooling with my baby daddy. Though he still sent me the same amount of money monthly to cover my bills and for Divine, I only used some for our daughter and let the rest sit, in case he came back hollering his same old shit, I could send it all back to him.

“We said we want the whole fucking thing comped!” the friend bellowed.

“I explained we wouldn’t be able to do that,” I replied, doing my best to subdue the attitude I wanted to shoot back at her dusty ass.

Kelly returned right before the friend retorted.

“Bitch, who the fuck you think you talking to like that! You thought because you’re not from the hood that Josias was gonna choose you over my friend, huh?” She hollered so loudly I knew everyone in the vicinity of the table heard.

Her comment had nothing to do with the situation at hand, and I could tell from the smirk Tarin wore as she watched me that this was all a part of the plan. I didn’t get it. I wasn’t even fucking with Josias, yet Tarin still wanted a problem with me.

“He did choose me, bitch, but I let your friend have him because they’re equally yoked. I’m above the ghetto circus shit!” I barked back, regretting it as soon as I said it, especially when I heard Kelly gasp.

Though I was only twenty-four, I had a reputation at my job for being mature, calm, and a problem solver—hence why I was manager already. Arguing with patrons was some twenty-four-year-old shit that I was embarrassed to be a part of.

“Bitch, what!” Tarin squawked, hopping from her seat and immediately taking off on me.

I swung back, but because of the shoes I had on and the fact that I was caught off guard, she was getting the best of me. Finally, I found my footing and grabbed a handful of her hair before sending my fist into her face. Two seconds hadn’t gone by before her friend kicked me hard as hell in the back, causing me to let out a pain-filled yowl.

“I’m calling the cops!” Kelly hollered as I listened to what sounded like hundreds of patrons comment, scream, and clamor about. Tarin’s kids were crying, but of course, she didn’t give a damn.

I fought for my life, but between Tarin and her friend kicking me and hitting me all over the place, I was no match for them. I already wasn’t a fighter, so having to battle with two people was bound to be useless.

Sirens sounded off, finally, making Tarin yell, “Shit! Let’s go, Donna!” She snatched her purse up and yanked on her kids before the foursome rushed out but were met at the door by cops.

“Oh my gosh. Are you okay?” another waitress, Yara, asked me, and I nodded, though my head was throbbing, and I tasted blood in my mouth.

“They came in here causing problems and jumped our manager!” I heard Kelly yell, making her way toward the cops where Tarin and Donna tried to plead their cases.

Twenty minutes and several eyewitnesses’ accounts later, and Tarin and Donna were in handcuffs. Tarin’s mother had come down to grab her kids, before they were escorted out.

I was so embarrassed and ready to get the hell away from work, so I was thankful that the assistant manager Lila was willing to come in for me after she heard what happened. I lied, saying I would be going to the hospital, but I was taking my ass home to wallow in my thoughts.

I hated the way they got me out of character and hated it even more that them stupid bitches came to my job making me fucking look bad.

Worst of all, I despised Josias because this was all his fault. The games, the lies, and his inability to keep his dick in his pants had me in some shit I wanted no parts of. And I didn’t know a solution, either, since Divine was Josias’s daughter, and therefore, he had to be in my fucking life. Ceasing my relationship with him clearly wasn’t enough because I hadn’t messed with him in a long while, yet Tarin was still on my ass.

I cried softly as I pulled into my driveway, upset that I couldn’t handle Tarin in the way that I wanted to.

Pulling out my phone, I sent a text.

Me: Hey are you busy?

Day: No. Leaving work and was gonna go home to cook and wait for Rah. Lol.

Me: Do you mind stopping by for a second?

It was nice having a friend to talk to, something I wasn’t used to these days.

Day: Of course.

I climbed out of my car and went to brush my teeth before taking a warm shower. By the time I was dressed in some lounge clothes and buttered up with my lotion, Daylin was texting me to say she was on my porch.

“Oh . . . are you okay?” She took me in, so I guessed my expression was easily readable at the moment.

Walking away from the door with Daylin trailing me, I replied, “Tarin and some bitch came to my job causing problems. And when I tried to handle the matter professionally, them bitches started talking shit, so I retaliated, making them jump me.”